Right now, the entire court, top to bottom, was like scattered sand—chaotic and without order!

With Jingrong’s temperament, he would absolutely not leave at this time.

And she would certainly follow Jingrong.

Seeing her remain silent for so long, Zhulán called out softly, “Miss?”

She came back to her senses and looked at Zhulán, who was resting against her leg. This girl was gazing at her with those watery, glistening eyes. She had to admit, the more she looked at her, the more she felt Zhulán resembled Luan’er. Their ages were similar too, especially those eyes and expressions. If she looked long enough, she could almost mistake her for Luan’er.

Time passed so quickly. In the blink of an eye, almost two years had gone by.

Luan’er had been dead for almost two years.

Whenever Ji Yunshu thought of this, her heart clenched with pain.

She sighed, pulled her thoughts back, and said to Zhulán, “I won’t be leaving so quickly. Don’t worry.”

Zhulán broke into a foolish grin.

Ji Yunshu said, “You go rest first. Don’t worry about me. I’ll sit for a while longer.”

“But it’s already late autumn, and the courtyard is cold at night. Miss should rest earlier. If you catch cold and fall ill, that would be terrible. Miss has a delicate constitution—if you get sick, it would be troublesome. Please go inside.”

Unable to withstand Zhulán’s tidal wave of concern and worry, she had no choice but to go in.

But she couldn’t fall asleep no matter what. Sitting there thinking about things, she lost herself in thought again.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew in from outside, brushing across her smooth cheeks like thin silk, the threads of cool breeze slowly drilling into her skin and “rolling” into her blood. The coldness followed her bloodstream to cover her entire body, making her cold from head to toe, thoroughly and completely.

Clearly the wind of late autumn should be refreshing!

Why then did she shiver with cold throughout her body?

Zhulán lit incense by the bed in the inner room and added a few flower petals to it. A wisp of white smoke slowly curled from the top of the incense burner, rising in tendrils and permeating the entire room, filling it with a refreshing fragrance that was very calming.

Ji Yunshu took a deep breath, gently shook her head, and rubbed her temples, full of exhaustion.

“Miss, please rest early.”

“You go out first.”

“Yes.” Zhulán bowed and withdrew.

As soon as she left, just as she was about to close the door, she saw someone arrive in the courtyard.

Jingrong!

His tall figure was stretched long by the light emanating from the lantern at the entrance…

Right up to the doorway.

“Your Highness.” Zhulán bowed.

Jingrong’s face was expressionless as he waved his hand. “Go.”

Zhulán glanced inside, then left.

Hearing Jingrong’s voice, Ji Yunshu raised her eyes toward the door. Jingrong had already entered the room.

There was no expression on his face, making it impossible to discern the emotion hidden in his heart. Walking in against a cold breeze, he wore a purple robe, his bearing magnificent, his features handsome. Between his brows was the noble and proud air he was born with, while the cold, hard lines of his facial contours were now softened considerably by the orange-red candlelight inside the room.

Ji Yunshu looked at him.

But didn’t say a word.

The two of them made eye contact.

Then Jingrong sat down beside her. That originally expressionless face now showed a trace of gravity.

He said, “Today, I went to see His Majesty.”

She knew!

Ji Yunshu didn’t react much as she poured him a cup of tea. “And then?”

Jingrong looked at her and told her about his conversation with Wei Yi.

After hearing it, her hands inside her garment clenched tightly together. Her nose tingled, but just as tears were about to burst from her eyes, she ultimately held them back.

That Wei Yi from back then who carried her home on his back, that Wei Yi who released sky lanterns with her—today, it was as if he had changed his skin and changed his heart, becoming someone she didn’t recognize at all.

She took a deep breath and smiled bitterly. “I thought I understood him, thought I knew him. But it turns out I didn’t understand at all. I didn’t know that he had never let go all along.”

The smile at the corner of her mouth grew increasingly desolate!

Jingrong understood her feelings.

But didn’t know how to comfort her.

Ji Yunshu calmed herself for a long while, then rose and walked to the door, closing it. But her hands remained pressed against the door, unable to let go.

Cold wind drilled in through the fine cracks in the door, hitting her face directly.

Extremely cold.

With her back to Jingrong, she spoke in a heavy tone. “Actually, I’ve always had a question in my heart.”

Jingrong’s eyes trembled slightly. Actually, he already knew in his heart what she was going to say.

After a moment, Ji Yunshu’s hands left the door. She turned around, her expression serious, and said, “That night when the late Emperor passed away, only the imperial physicians and a few cabinet ministers were inside. Afterward, you dismissed them, leaving only Eunuch Zhang who was by the late Emperor’s side. Then you summoned Minister Shang inside. Not long after, the late Emperor’s will was read aloud. Because of his debt to Duke Yuguo, he established Wei Yi as emperor. Everything seemed so reasonable and proper. But what kind of person was the late Emperor? You and I both know very well. How could he pass the throne to Wei Yi? During the time between the late Emperor’s death and the reading of the will, no one knew what happened inside the great hall.”

She finished saying all of this.

Jingrong stood up and walked before her, his brow tightly furrowed, even carrying a trace of pain.

He said, “Actually, you guessed it long ago, didn’t you?”

Ah!

This statement of his confirmed Ji Yunshu’s speculation.

She smiled through her pain. “I should have realized it long ago, should have realized it long ago…”

Jingrong grabbed her arm and said, “What I could make amends for was to yield the throne to him. You and I both thought Wei Yi would become a good emperor. And I also promised you that I would take you away from the capital and would absolutely not go back on my word.”

After saying this, he tightly embraced her trembling body and said, “Yunshu, I hope my decision wasn’t wrong. I hope Wei Yi can wake up and realize. And I definitely won’t let anyone snatch you away from my side.”

Extremely resolute.

He held her even more tightly. No one could take Ji Yunshu away from his side.

This woman was someone he would protect with his life.

In his embrace, Ji Yunshu cried like a child!

They say everything has cause and effect!

Yes, those words were absolutely right.

That night, Ji Yunshu cried for a long time.

But by the next day,

She was like a different person.

Not a single trace of sadness could be found on her face.

And Jingrong had also left her room early in the morning, gone to who knows where.

Zhulán entered the room. “Miss, please eat something.”

She shook her head. “No need.”

“…”

“Go fetch my official robes.”

“Is Miss going to the Ministry of Justice? Hasn’t the case already been closed?”

“Don’t ask so many questions. Just bring them.”

Zhulán asked no more questions and quickly brought them.

She changed into her official robes and went directly to the Ministry of Justice.

Although the case of the Yu residence had been closed, the Ministry of Justice from top to bottom still hadn’t decided on how to handle Mumu’s matter.

At this time, all the officials of the Ministry of Justice were gathered in the inner hall, seated and ready. Preparing for a meeting.